Former Lone Peak High School and BYU Cougars big man Eric Mika is back in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings on Saturday announced that they have signed Mika to a 10-day contract. The signing comes after injuries to frontcourt players Marvin Bagley III and Richaun Holmes, while Dewayne Dedmon was listed as questionable for Saturday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers because of an illness.
This is the latest in a relatively detailed history between Mika and the Kings. Sacramento was one of the few teams to bring him in for a workout prior to the 2017 NBA draft (he went undrafted), and then last year after two seasons in Europe, he played for their summer league team and got a training camp invite following a strong performance.
After getting cut by Sacramento, Mika started this season with the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate. Following just six games, he went to China but played just seven games for the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers before leaving early last month. At the time, NBA reporter Keith Smith tweeted that Mika was returning to the United States “to pursue opportunities in the NBA.”
A few days later on Jan. 7, Stockton re-signed him. In 13 total games with Stockton this season, Mika has averaged 19.8 points, 14.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 32.5 minutes.
Mika started his prep career at Waterford before transferring to Lone Peak, where he became one of the best college prospects in the entire country. He played the 2013-2014 season for the Cougars before leaving on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Italy. He then starred in the 2016-2017 campaign before deciding to turn pro.